Method of mounting plastic trim strip

ABSTRACT

A mechanical, spring clip mounting method for plastic trim strips allows plastic to be substituted for metal in trimming automobiles. A base lamina of plastic is formed and punched with holes through which spring clips are inserted, and trim lamina is secured to the base lamina to cover the spring clips which are pressed into holes to fasten the trim strip in place.

United States Patent [191 v Smoot 1 3,737,972 1 June 12, 1973 1,285,688ll/l9l8 Hamilton ..52/717 [5 METH D or MOUNTING PLASTIC TRIM sum [75]Inventor: Edward H. Smoot, Holcomb, N.Y.

[73] Assignee: The Schlegal Manufacturing Company, Rochester, N.Y.

221 Filed: June 21,1971 211 App]. No.: 154,738

[52] US. Cl. 29/453, 29/526, 49/492,

. 52/717, 293/DIG. 4 [51] Int. Cl 823p 11/02 [58] Field of Search29/453, 526; 49/492;

- 52/717; 293/62, 1, DIG. 4

' [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 8/1916 Hazelworth 52/7171,353,885 9/1920 Aufderheide 52/717 2,287,606 6/1942 Eady 293/DIG. 4 UX2,638,642 5/1953 Sprarogen 49/492 2,972,789 2/196] Mathues 49/492FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 855,552 5/l940 France 49/492 PrimaryExaminer-Charlie T. Moon A ttorney-George W. Shaw and Eugene S. Stephens[5 7 ABSTRACT A mechanical, spring clip mounting method for plastic trimstrips allows plastic to be substituted for metal in trimmingautomobiles. A base lamina of plastic is formed and punched with holesthrough which spring clips are inserted, and trim lamina is secured tothe base lamina to cover the spring clips which are pressed into holesto fasten the trim strip in place.

6 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PMEmwJuMmm I 3.737 972 INVENTOR. EDWARD H.sM

ATTORNEYS METHOD OF MOUNTING PLASTIC TRIM STRIP THE INVENTIVEIMPROVEMENT Metal trim strips for automobiles are becoming lessdesirable, because they are safety hazards when they come loose in acollision, they are relatively expensive, and they are subject tocorrosion. Plastic materials have been developed to form attractive trimstrips, and they would replace metal trim strips, except for problems ofmounting them securely in place. The traditional ways of fastening onplastic parts are to use adhesives, heat sealing or fusion betweenplastic materials, or chemical or solvent bonds formed between plasticmaterials. For various reasons, all of these present problems in theautomotive industry, and to overcome these problems, the industry hassteadfastly sought better adhesives, better chemical bonds, anddifferent plastic materials that would meet all the requirements forsecure fusion or other bonding mount.

The invention departs from the usual ways of attempting to secureplastic strips in place and recognizes a way of adapting known springclip mounting concepts to plastic materials to mount plastic trim stripsmechanically in place. The invention thus applies mechanical mountingconcepts to materials that have not been considered by others assuitable for such mounting. Also, the invention includes a method ofarranging and securing spring clips in plastic trim strips so thatmechanical mounting is simple, convenient, and efficient.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION By the inventive method, a base lamina isformed of plastic material, and holes are punched in predeterminedplaces in the base lamina. Then spring clips are inserted through theholes to extend beyond the inward facing side of the base lamina. A trimlamina is formed for a trim strip and is secured to the base lamina tooverlie the outward facing side of the base lamina and cover the headsof the spring clips and secure them in place in the trim strip. I-Iolesare formed in the automobile mounting surface in registry with thespring clips, and the spring clips are pressed into the mounting holesto fasten the trim strip in place.

DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a trim strip mounted in placeaccording to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross section of the trim strip mounting of FIG. ltakenalong the line 2 2 thereof; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an alternative trim 'strip mounting.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION FIGS. 1 and 2 show a trim strip secured in place onan automobile mounting surface 11 according to the invention. Thelaminae of strip 10 are partially separated in FIG. 1 for a better view.A base lamina 12 for trim strip 10 is formed of plastic material toestablish the desired shape for trim strip 10. For straight or slightlycurving trim strips, base lamina 12 is preferably a straight extrusionof flexible plastic material, but for the curved shape illustrated inFIG. 1, base lamina 12 is preferably die-cut from relatively rigidplastic material to retain the illustrated shape. Holes 13 are punchedin base lamina 12, preferably in the ,diecutting operation, orsubsequent to extrusion if base lamina 12 is formed as a linear strip.Holes 13 are preferably rectangular in shape to establish the desiredorientation of spring clips, and holes 13 are spaced at predeterminedlocations along base lamina 12.

Spring clips 14 are then inserted through holes 13 so that their springlegs extend beyond the inward facing side of base lamina 12 as bestshown in FIG. 2. Spring clips 14 can be metal or plastic, and arepreferably fitted to holes 13. Spring clips 14 can be rounded forfitting round holes in any orientation, or can be squared or rectangularfor fitting the preferably rectangular holes 13 to be held in a desiredorientation.

Trim lamina 15 is formed of'plastic material and preferably made as anextrusion of relatively flexible plastic material to be fitted over baselamina 12. Trim lamina 15 can have any cross-sectional shape desired forattractive appearance, and is dimensioned to overlie base lamina l2.Trim lamina 15 is preferably fused or otherwise secured to base lamina12 to cover the heads of spring clips 14. This holds spring clips 14securely in place and forms a flexible and durable plastic laminate fortrim strip purposes.

A plastic finish strip 16 is secured over trim lamina 15 preferably byfusion or other means to give trim strip 10 the desired appearance suchas a shiny chrome or metallic appearance. Finish strip 16 is notnecessary if trim lamina 15 can have the desired surface.

Holes 17 are formed in mounting surface 11 to register with spring clips14 in pre-determined locations, and then the spring clips 14 of thefinished trim strip 10 are pressed into holes 17 to mount trim strip 10securely in place on surface 11. The secure anchorage of spring clips 14between laminas 12 and 15 ensures that trim strip 10 stays securely inplace on surface 11. Such spring clip mounting also eliminates problemsof thermo fusion or chemical bonding and avoids many difficult problemsof assembly and environment requirements for the automobile.

The inventive mounting method is applied to a windlace 20 as shown inFIG. 3. A generally cylindrical, flexible, foamed plastic core 21 formsthe body of windlace 20 and a flexible plastic sheath 22 is wrappedaround core 21 to cover and finish windlace 20. The edges of sheath 22extend outward from core 21 in flanges 23 and 24 that are used formounting windlace 20. Flange 24 is formed as a abase lamina in whichholes are punched at spaced locations. Then spring clips 25 are insertedthrough holes in flange 24 to extend outward for mechanically fasteningwindlace 20 in place. Then trim flange 23 is fused to flange 24 tooverlie the heads of spring clips 25 and secure them in place. Springclips 25 are then pressed into holes in the automobile body to mountwindlace 20 around doors and windows. Flanges 23 and 24 then serverespectively as a trim lamina and a base lamina for mounting windlace 20in place.

Persons wishing to practice the invention should remember that otherembodiments and variations can be adapted to particular circumstances.Even though one point of view is necessarily chosen in describing anddefining the invention, this should not inhibit broader or relatedembodiments going beyond the semantic orien tation of this applicationbut falling within the spirit of the invention. For example, thoseskilled in the art will appreciate the various shapes, sizes, materials,and appearances that can be made of plastic laminates with spring clipssecured between the laminates for mechanical mounting of trim strips inplace.

I claim: 1. A method of mounting a plastic trim strip on a metal orplastic mounting surface of an automobile, said method comprising:

a. forming a base lamina of plastic material;

' b. punching holes in pre-determined places in said base lamina;

c. inserting spring clips through said holes to extendh. pressing saidspring clips into said holes in said mounting surface to fasten saidtrim strip in place.

2. The method of claim 1 including die-cutting said base lamina of arelatively rigid plastic material, and

punching holes in said base lamina in said die-cutting operation.

3. The method of claim 2 including forming said trim lamina of anextrusion of relatively flexible plastic -material.

4. The method of claim 1 including extruding said base lamina of plasticmaterial.

5. The method of claim 1 including making said punched holes in saidbase lamina rectangular in shape to orient said clips.

6. The method of claim 1 including fusing said trim lamina to said baselamina.

1. A method of mounting a plastic trim strip on a metal or plasticmounting surface of an automobile, said method comprising: a. forming abase lamina of plastic material; b. punching holes in pre-determinedplaces in said base lamina; c. inSerting spring clips through said holesto extend beyond the inward facing side of said base lamina; d. forminga trim lamina for said trip strip; e. fusing a plastic finish strip overthe outer surface of said trim lamina; f. securing said trim lamina tosaid base lamina to overlie the outward facing side of said base laminato cover the heads of said spring clips and secure said spring clips inplace; g. forming holes in said automobile mounting surface in registrywith said spring clips; and h. pressing said spring clips into saidholes in said mounting surface to fasten said trim strip in place. 2.The method of claim 1 including die-cutting said base lamina of arelatively rigid plastic material, and punching holes in said baselamina in said die-cutting operation.
 3. The method of claim 2 includingforming said trim lamina of an extrusion of relatively flexible plasticmaterial.
 4. The method of claim 1 including extruding said base laminaof plastic material.
 5. The method of claim 1 including making saidpunched holes in said base lamina rectangular in shape to orient saidclips.
 6. The method of claim 1 including fusing said trim lamina tosaid base lamina.